Hard Drive Help...

bkribbs

bkribbs

New Member
Hey guys. I'm lost. Please help. I bought a 320 GB WD 2.5 IDE hard drive. Due to me being an idiot and booting with a bootloader from my flashdrives that screwed up my drivers, I had to reinstall. Since the reinstall, My hard drive is not working the same. My Bios shows it as being 136 (or 137 or 138, can't remember). The Disk Utility built in that I bring up after the install says the disk has errors, and it shows it as being 126 (or it could be 128.) When I hook it up as an external to another computer, or according to the install cd, it shows up as 320.

I have tried new connectors, and I reset the CMOS. I also tested it with another 80 GB hdd, and it showed up correctly in my BIOS.

What should I do? What is this? Bad hard drive? Could my MB be going bad? Or... (And if there is probably a problem with the HDD (which is what I think) is there some way I could run a disk check by WD? Any program or anything?)

Thanks.
 
The reason why you are getting the different sizes is most likely because you used a pre sp1 xp install cd. You should download and run western digitals drive diagnostic program.
 
johnb35 said:
The reason why you are getting the different sizes is most likely because you used a pre sp1 xp install cd. You should download and run western digitals drive diagnostic program.
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It's actually not pre sp1, its not a windows cd. And Ok thanks. Since I have no OS installed, would this be the smart one to use: "Data Lifeguard Diagnostic for DOS (CD)"
 
That's what I downloaded, except for my drive. I have yet to run it though, I will post back results later.
 
Ok so when I boot up to the disc, it says "Starting (Something) DR-DOS" then "Loading Dr-DOS" then goes whirs like its loading, then it just stops. The computer stays on, but I don't know.

I'll get the exact wording in a few minutes, but what should I do?
 
If the machine you are testing it on is running in ahci/raid mode, you may have to change it to ide mode or put the drive in another system and test it that way.
 
johnb35 said:
If the machine you are testing it on is running in ahci/raid mode, you may have to change it to ide mode or put the drive in another system and test it that way.
Click to expand...

It is just a basic IDE laptop. I'll check the BIOS to see if anything needs changed though.

EDIT: Nevermind, it took like 5 minutes, but it loaded. Running tests now.
 
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So if this extended test comes up clear, as the short test did, what do you all think is the problem?

When I plug it in internally, the BIOS calls it a 137 gb hard drive. And the OS (not windows) calls it 128, although my old install of the same os called it 320. And it shows up as 320 when plugged in externally. So would this be:

a. the OS
b. the hard drive
c. motherboard short

or

d. something else (in which case suggestions are appreciated.)
 
May need a bios update possibly? You should be getting the different readings though.
 
johnb35 said:
May need a bios update possibly? You should be getting the different readings though.
Click to expand...

I have the latest one. I checked a few months ago, and considering my laptop is 5 years old, they are done with it. And is that supposed to say shouldn't, or should. Just to clarify.
 
Nope, have no ideas at this point. Can't believe it would be a bios limitation. The reason why I originally said it was a pre sp1 xp install is because of the LBA size limitation, Sp1 fixed the limitation. Possibly your boot loader or an drive overlay software that may be installed on the drive. I would delete the existing partitions and start over.
 
johnb35 said:
Nope, have no ideas at this point. Can't believe it would be a bios limitation. The reason why I originally said it was a pre sp1 xp install is because of the LBA size limitation, Sp1 fixed the limitation. Possibly your boot loader or an drive overlay software that may be installed on the drive. I would delete the existing partitions and start over.
Click to expand...

I could do this by using a GParted Live Disc to delete all partions and then remake them as I want, right? Or do I need to do something else?
 
You can use the xp disk to make the partitions if you plan on installing XP, and as long as xp can detect the partitions.
 
johnb35 said:
You can use the xp disk to make the partitions if you plan on installing XP, and as long as xp can detect the partitions.
Click to expand...

There are at least 2 in HFS+ so I can't. And I don't really want to reinstall XP until I get this fixed, I'm a dualbooter.
 
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